First win for new pairing of Paul Robson and Ryan Mania at Kelso Racecourse

Aintree Grand National-winning jockey Mania rode 9/2 chance Our Girl Sal to victory by a nose in a four-horse finish to the 2.25pm Every Race Live on Racing TV Handicap Hurdle over three miles and a furlong, earning its top prize of £4,225.

It was also the seven-year-old bay mare’s first win in two run-outs for Robson, the last having been a fifth-placed at Kelso with Mania riding too last month, and 15 all together since 2022.

Robson, formerly of Spittal-on-Rule, near Denholm, but based at Rose Dobbin’s old Hazelrigg yard in Northumberland since June last year, said: “We’re thrilled that Ryan is going to be our stable jockey as we’ve been working towards that aim for a month or two.

“He is excited about coming to a new yard bringing nice young horses through and he wants to be part of that and help us build the place.”

Wee Alki, ridden by Nathan Moscrop for another Northumbrian yard, Sue Corbett’s near Otterburn, was second.

The first place claimed by Our Girl Sal, owned by the Berwickshire Blazers syndicate, was half of a 40/1 winning double for Robson, also a funeral director in Hawick, as Away She Goes finished in pole position in the two-mile Watch the Replay at Racing TV Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at 4.35pm with Ed Austin riding.

The 13/2 chance crossed the line over five lengths clear of Milajess, trained by North Yorkshire’s Micky Hammond and ridden by Joshua Thompson, to pick up another top prize of £4,225.

That was a first win at the 11th time of asking for the six-year-old bay mare, owned by her trainer’s Paul Robson Racing Club syndicate.

Mania, 35, formerly stable jockey at Sandy Thomson’s Lambden stables near Kelso after ending a five-year retiral in 2019, also claimed a winning double, at 15/1, on 2/1 second-favourite Lucky Manifest for James Ewart’s Langholm yard in the second race of the day, the 2.55pm Strawmax Novices’ Hurdle over almost two miles and five furlongs.

The five-year-old bay gelding finished over four lengths ahead of 11/8 favourite Just Oot, trained by Corbett and with Henry Brooke in the saddle, to land a top prize of £4,901.

Corbett came out on top in the day’s feature race, the two-mile-six-furlong King’s Own Scottish Borderers Handicap Hurdle at 4pm, however, with Kilmore Rock, ridden by Moscrop, that being the pairing’s third win on the bounce following one in Carlisle last month and another at Newcastle in March.

They finished more than three lengths ahead of another of Corbett’s horses, les’s Legacy, to pick up the days’s biggest prize of £6,337.

10/3 favourite Benefit Ben, ridden by Joshua Thompson for Northumbrian trainer Adam Nicol, won the meeting’s third race, the 3.25pm Bedmax Handicap Hurdle, finishing more than two lengths ahead of Cumbrian handler Dianne Sayer’s Heart Above, with Brooke as jockey, to claim prize money of £4,225.

Victory in the concluding 5.05pm Racing TV Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race went to Jentobello at 11/2, trained in Carrutherstown by Iain Jardine and with Brian Hughes riding.

The five-year-old chestnut gelding crossed the line in that two-mile race more than six lengths ahead of Hey Buddy, ridden by Jonathan Burke for Gloucestershire trainer Fergal O’Brien, to pick up a top prize of £2,723.

Kelso’s next meeting is its annual ladies’ day on Sunday, May 25. Entry is £35 in advance or £40 on the day. For details, go to https://kelso-races.co.uk/events/ladies-day/